My AI CS4 won't work with the newly installed OS X Yosemite

[whitley.jess]

All my CS4 programs were working fine when I installed the Maverics update, but once I installed Yosemite, I got some plug-in error when I tried to open Illustrator. An Apple person helped me to ignore it & the program finally totally opened up & worked with the screen sharing thing but once I closed it & opened it again none of my buttons/tools would work. I feel like there's just something in there that got messed up & needs to be patched up. I tried uninstalling & reinstalling, restarting then shutting down my laptop, but nothing has worked. Adobe sucks & doesn't offer phone support for anything older than CC. So all apple could tell me was I would have to downgrade my operating system, but I don't want to do that if I don't have to because I feel like that would be a hassle. Can somebody please help me with this? Or at least give me more advice on troubleshooting this problem? I'm a graphic designer & really need to be able to use my program.

 

[chscag]

There's really not much you can do if the plug ins are not compatible with Yosemite. Apple gave you the correct advice. If you've made a full Time Machine backup of Mavericks, going back is not difficult. It's either that or spending money on a new version of Adobe CS.

 

[whitley.jess]

Thank you so much for responding! I think I do have Time Machine on my macbook but I haven't used it yet & I don't think I used it when I installed Maverics. Does that make a difference? Do I go to "open time machine preferences" & click the "on" button? Should I be worried about what happens after I do that? The last apple person I talked to said that I either had to have everything backed up on time machine or I would have to use the "installation" CD that came with my laptop. I can't seem to find it anywhere so the only CDs I have are from the Snow Leopard I think I bought when I upgraded my old macbook. Sounds like it would be easier just to use the Time Machine.

 

[chscag]

You don't have an install DVD because Mavericks was a download. Apple no longer supplies an installation DVD. The last version of OS X on DVD was Snow Leopard. If you do not already have a full Time Machine backup of Mavericks before you installed Yosemite, it will be difficult going back and you may lose data. Make sure you do in fact have a full backup. If you do, let us know and we can show you how to return to Mavericks.

 

[TattooedMac]

Considering that Adobe CS4 is 6yrs old, I was surprised to read it worked on Yosemite at all.
The best way to go about things, is do as Charlie above has posted, and what Apple has said, or upgrade you CS4 to CC, because I tell you now, CC and Adobe Suite of Apps for iPad work seamlessly together and would think of using even CS6 again.

 

[whitley.jess]

Unfortunately right now I'm only freelancing to build up my experience until I finally get a permanent position somewhere so I really don't have the money for CC's expensive monthly fee & I also don't have an iPad. I got my CS4 programs at a student discount in college & I've continued to use them since they've always worked. I've used CS5 & CS6 in classes & for temporary jobs that were provided so I've never had the need to upgrade myself. It seems like the only option I have is to find a CS5 or 5.5 version of Illustrator & buy just the one program. I really don't want to risk losing anything downgrading & having to start all over again. If Apple would've had some sort of warning on there then I wouldn't have upgraded my operating system in the first place. Thanks anyway.

 

[chas_m]

How in the world do you come to the conclusion that APPLE should have warned you that your long-obsolete ADOBE program won't run on Yosemite? Has it occurred to you that perhaps you should have (long since) kept your Adobe program up-to-date??

Good luck in the graphics arts field using out-of-date programs, dude. You'll need it.

 

[TattooedMac]

I got my CS4 programs at a student discount in college & I've continued to use them since they've always worked. I've used CS5 & CS6 in classes & for temporary jobs that were provided so I've never had the need to upgrade myself.

How on earth do you know if you don't need CC at all, if you have never used it ?? From CS4 to CC, there is so much more you can do, and with so much more ease.

Using CS4 is like driving a 76 VW Superbug, being able to afford it or not doesn't change the fact, that CC is the future of Adobe Software, and I get updates every other day, with added features all the time. Good luck . . .

 

[chas_m]

I know, right?! *headdesk*